Thanksgiving is right around the corner and among all the things we have to be thankful for, how about the earth beneath our feet?

​During a program at Boxerwood this month, a third grade class from Central became so overtaken by the value of soil for all living things that they literally dove onto the ground to—in their exact words--“stop, drop, and kiss!” Later they put their love in action by tackling a soil erosion problem on our hillside. (See below, kids filled an eroded gully with brush to help "slow the flow.")

The sight of 8-year olds diving into kissing push-ups on the Boxerwood lawn got me thinking: how might all of us show gratitude for the earth this time of year? Are we putting out bird feeders? Planting trees? Leaving brush piles for animals in our backyard? Reducing use of fossil fuels, paper, plastic?

Big or little there are many actions that put our love in gear.Which one, this month, will be yours?